ABSTRACT
The English began to establish a presence in Asia, Africa and the Americas before the end of the fifteenth century. It was an enterprise which began slowly and expanded only fitfully. By the beginning of the seventeenth century, however, there were some clear patterns emerging. Exploration and colonisation were, for the most part, driven by trade rather than by mere curiosity; the flag followed trade. Indeed, in some parts of the globe where English (and in some places Irish and Scottish) influence became significant, there was no serious effort to exercise suzerainty. If trade could be guaranteed by treaty, or indeed if local rulers were strong enough to resist military incursions but wanted to deal with Europeans, then successive regimes in London were willing to allow developments to be led by merchants rather than soldiers.
